It was noon, and the sun blazed overhead.
Seated comfortably in her sedan chair, Noble Consort Wan remained shaded from the heat, looking perfectly at ease. Jiang Yunshu, on the other hand, followed behind on foot, forcing herself to walk as naturally as possible while enduring the soreness throughout her body.
At last…
They arrived at the Imperial Garden.
Noble Consort Wan finally stepped down from her sedan chair.
After returning to her palace earlier, she had changed into a peach-colored palace gown embroidered with subtle floral patterns. The color made her seem even more radiant than the blossoms around her. Standing before a bed of peonies, she looked even more beautiful than the flowers themselves.
Seeing this, Jiang Yunshu sighed in admiration.
“Your Highness, you’re truly stunning. You’re even more beautiful than these peonies.”
Originally, Noble Consort Wan had been in a terrible mood and had intended to make things difficult for Jiang Yunshu.
But hearing such sincere praise eased much of her irritation.
She glanced at the peonies before her and smiled knowingly.
Realizing the compliment had worked, Jiang Yunshu continued,
“Your Highness, have you ever heard this poem?”
“Hm?”
“The peonies before the court are charming but lack true grace.
Lotus blooms upon the pond are pure, yet lacking passion.
Only the peony is worthy of being called the nation’s beauty;
When it blooms, it stirs the entire capital.”
Jiang Yunshu recited it slowly.
Noble Consort Wan gently stroked a peony with her crimson-lacquered nails and murmured,
“Only the peony is worthy of being called the nation’s beauty… When it blooms, it stirs the entire capital.”
She naturally took it as praise directed at herself—that her beauty surpassed even that of the Empress.
To be fair, she had always believed so herself.
Her long nails brushed across the peony petals as a gorgeous smile curved her lips.
The palace maids beside her watched in amazement. This little Noble Lady certainly had a sweet tongue. She had flattered the Noble Consort into such a good mood that everyone had almost forgotten why she had been brought to the Imperial Garden in the first place.
One maid curled her lips into a sly smile and whispered,
“Your Highness… she’s doing it on purpose. Look at her neck…”
Though she spoke softly…
Jiang Yunshu heard every word.
Her gaze immediately turned icy.
What grudge do you have against me? Did I offend your entire ancestral line?
The Noble Consort had practically forgotten about punishing her, yet this maid deliberately reminded her.
A despicable lackey who bullies others with borrowed authority!
Sure enough, the reminder worked.
Noble Consort Wan’s hand suddenly crushed the peony she had been caressing. Her cold eyes settled on Jiang Yunshu’s neck.
With a faint smile, she said slowly,
“Xueli, look how hot it is today. Noble Lady Jiang is sweating already.”
“Go…”
“Help Noble Lady Jiang wipe the sweat from her neck.”
“And make sure you wipe it thoroughly.”
Every word was spoken through clenched teeth.
It sounded as though she wished she could scrape the flesh right off Jiang Yunshu’s neck.
Erya’s face turned pale. She hurried forward and pleaded,
“It’s only a small matter, Your Highness. How could we trouble Auntie Xueli? This servant can do it.”
But Xueli had already reached Jiang Yunshu.
She shoved Erya aside.
“Move.”
Erya anxiously looked toward Noble Consort Wan.
“Your Highness…”
The Noble Consort ignored her completely, looking down at Jiang Yunshu while twisting her embroidered handkerchief tightly in her hands.
Watching Xueli approach, Jiang Yunshu remained perfectly calm.
Instead, she deliberately leaned forward slightly, exposing the black gemstone Chu Yi had given her.
The gem slipped from beneath her collar.
Under the sunlight, it reflected a dazzling beam straight toward Noble Consort Wan.
Instinctively, Noble Consort Wan turned her head away and shouted,
“Noble Lady Jiang! What are you wearing around your neck? How dare you shine it into my eyes!”
Jiang Yunshu immediately knelt.
“Please calm your anger, Your Highness. I truly didn’t mean to. It’s simply that the black gemstone His Majesty bestowed upon me is so brilliant. Standing beneath the blazing sun, it accidentally reflected the light into Your Highness’s eyes.”
A black gemstone bestowed by His Majesty?
Noble Consort Wan stared in disbelief at Jiang Yunshu’s neck.
There it was—
A translucent black gemstone shimmering with a cold, dazzling radiance.
Who in the palace didn’t know about it?
The Emperor possessed a legendary black gemstone said to be one of a kind, a treasure rarely seen in a thousand years. He often carried it in his hand and admired it.
Jiang Yunshu had accompanied the Emperor to bed only twice.
And yet…
He had actually given that gemstone to her!
Noble Consort Wan trembled with rage. Her exquisite features twisted with jealousy before she finally forced herself to accept reality.
Her voice turned ice-cold.
“Noble Lady Jiang has offended this palace through her disrespect.”
“Slap her.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
Xueli immediately stepped forward, raising her hand.
Jiang Yunshu didn’t dodge. Standing tall on her knees, she looked directly at Noble Consort Wan without fear or servility.
“Your Highness, please think carefully.”
“When I left the Palace of Heavenly Harmony earlier, His Majesty instructed me to attend him again this evening in the Imperial Study.”
“If Your Highness truly strikes me today… I’m afraid His Majesty may be displeased.”
“What does His Majesty’s displeasure have to do with me?” Noble Consort Wan sneered.
“And do you really think that because you’ve served him twice, His Majesty actually values you?”
“Do you think I can’t punish you?”
Jiang Yunshu knew there was no escaping today’s ordeal.
That damned emperor.
He gave me the gemstone to protect my neck… not my face.
Who hits someone’s face?
Does this Noble Consort have no brains at all?
As she was thinking, Xueli’s slap came flying toward her.
Out of instinct, Jiang Yunshu turned her head.
Unexpectedly—
She actually dodged it.
Noble Consort Wan’s expression darkened instantly.
“You insolent wretch! You dare dodge?”
“You two! Hold her down!”
“Slap her!”
Erya dropped to her knees with a thud.
“Your Highness, please spare my mistress! Let this servant take the punishment in her place! Please…”
Noble Consort Wan ignored her completely.
“Do it!”
The moment the order left her lips—
A cool, indifferent voice echoed through the garden.
“What has made My Beloved Consort so angry?”
The speaker had yet to arrive, but his voice came first.
Noble Consort Wan stiffened before quickly stepping forward, secretly glaring at Xueli.
Xueli immediately lowered her raised hand and signaled the other maids.
They quickly released Jiang Yunshu and knelt obediently.
Jiang Yunshu couldn’t help curling her lips into a faint smile.
The damned emperor arrived at exactly the right time.
Looks like I’m spared this slap.
Once again, she felt that her fate and the tyrant emperor seemed strangely intertwined.
When Noble Consort Wan reached Chu Yi, she instantly transformed into an entirely different person, becoming as gentle and delicate as a flower.
“Your Majesty, this little Noble Lady waved something that hurt my eyes.”
“I merely intended to give her a tiny punishment.”
Chu Yi let out an amused “Oh?” before looking toward Jiang Yunshu.
“Noble Lady Jiang, what exactly did you use to dazzle the Noble Consort?”
Jiang Yunshu immediately held the gemstone up with both hands.
“Reporting to Your Majesty—it was the black gemstone Your Majesty bestowed upon me.”
“Since it was Your Majesty’s gift, I dared not neglect it and have worn it at all times.”
“I never expected that under today’s blazing sun, it would accidentally reflect into Noble Consort Wan’s eyes.”
“There is something this humble concubine wishes to say… though I’m unsure whether I should.”
Chu Yi narrowed his eyes at Jiang Yunshu.
Those lively eyes of hers were clearly plotting something again.
“Speak.”
From the moment Chu Yi had arrived, Noble Consort Wan noticed that his gaze had lingered on Jiang Yunshu.
That shameless seductress!
Even kneeling there, she’s still trying to charm the Emperor.
She had been incredibly lucky today to run into His Majesty.
But there would be plenty of opportunities in the future.
She refused to let today’s grievance go unanswered.
Receiving Chu Yi’s permission, Jiang Yunshu immediately said,
“This black gemstone is an imperial gift.”
“It has long remained by Your Majesty’s side, absorbing the Dragon’s Aura.”
“Even the blazing sunlight must yield before it, allowing its brilliance to draw away the light.”
“Your Highness, Noble Consort Wan, is blessed with extraordinary fortune.”
“Among everyone present, the gemstone reflected upon no one else but Your Highness.”
“That can only mean Your Highness is about to receive a great blessing.”
“The Dragon’s Radiance has chosen to shine upon you.”
The moment those words fell—
A stiff smile appeared on Noble Consort Wan’s face.
“The great blessing I shall receive…”
“…wouldn’t happen to be Your Majesty, would it?”
Though inwardly she refused to believe Jiang Yunshu’s flattery…
She nevertheless went along with it.